Expert Solutions for Painful Joints

If you have rheumatoid arthritis, swollen and painful joints aren’t your only problems. You may encounter other symptoms and side effects, as well as family issues and difficulty dealing with everyday tasks. But symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis don’t have to derail your life. Read on for expert solutions to the top 8 RA complaints...

Painful joints are bad enough – but they’re not the only symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis.

Your energy may be low. You might have trouble with simple tasks like opening a jar.

Mornings might be the toughest time for women with symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, says Robin Dibner, MD, a rheumatologist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City.

“Kids need the most help in the morning, and women may be getting ready for work at the same time,” she explains. “Yet so many tasks – buttoning, opening jars, [changing] diapers – require fine motor skills, so stiffness is very troubling.”

Fortunately, modern treatments have made many complaints of this autoimmune disorder less common than they used to be, says rheumatologist Nathan Wei, MD, director of the Arthritis and Osteoarthritis Treatment Center of Frederick, Md.

Rheumatologists are able to diagnose patients earlier, and once the disease is controlled, many physical symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis subside.

If you have rheumatoid arthritis, swollen and painful joints aren’t your only problems. You may encounter other symptoms and side effects, as well as family issues and difficulty dealing with everyday tasks. But symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis don’t have to derail your life. Read on for expert solutions to the top 8 RA complaints...

Here are the top 8 issues you’re likely to face – along with expert advice on how to deal with each one.

Common arthritis problem #1:My joints hurt.
Having swollen, painful joints is often the first sign you have rheumatoid arthritis.

Rheumatoid arthritis remedy: Diagnosis and immediate medication.

“The first thing to do is get a diagnosis from a rheumatologist,” says Stuart A. Green, MD, chief of rheumatology at the Brooklyn Hospital Center in New York.

“If you have RA, the doctor may start you on methotrexate,” a medication that suppresses aspects of the immune system, Dr. Green says.

“For some patients, that may be all they ever need.”

A doctor also may prescribe a low dose of the anti-inflammatory steroid prednisone for 4-6 weeks to help with painful joints until stronger drugs, such as methotrexate, start working.

If you have rheumatoid arthritis, swollen and painful joints aren’t your only problems. You may encounter other symptoms and side effects, as well as family issues and difficulty dealing with everyday tasks. But symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis don’t have to derail your life. Read on for expert solutions to the top 8 RA complaints...

Rheumatoid arthritis remedy:Recalibrate your medications.
“If you’re stiff for more than an hour, you’re not being adequately treated,” says Dr. Dibner. “So complain [to your doctor]. The goal should be to get stiffness under a half hour [at a time].”

Keep RA medications by your bedside so you can take them before you even get out of bed, she suggests.

“Then put your hands under warm water for five minutes,” she says. “Or a hot shower is even better.”

Another option: Heat a bowl of uncooked rice in the microwave, Dr. Green suggests.

“Put your hands in the rice to warm the joints, gently opening and closing them. That will also improve hand strength,” Dr. Green says.

Also consider consulting an occupational therapist, who can help you learn ways to accomplish tasks more easily, without aggravating your symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis.

“It’s usually just one session,” Dr. Dibner says. “It can teach you things like picking objects up with your forearms instead of your hands, so the weight is closer to your body – any movement close to the core is stronger, because muscles are bigger there.”

If you have rheumatoid arthritis, swollen and painful joints aren’t your only problems. You may encounter other symptoms and side effects, as well as family issues and difficulty dealing with everyday tasks. But symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis don’t have to derail your life. Read on for expert solutions to the top 8 RA complaints...

Also use household tools and devices from companies like Oxo and Good Grips, which are meant to make tasks easier, Dr. Dibner advises.

They’re available at home stores and online.

Her other favorites include the Zim jar opener, which mounts under a kitchen cabinet; you just turn the jar and the lid pops off.

Another is a grip-friendly handle that makes it easier to carry plastic grocery bags. (Both are available at aidsforarthritis.com.)

Buy products with fat handles, so you don’t have to grip so tightly.

“A tight grip strains joints,” Dr. Dibner says.

Or modify your own tools by wrapping handles with rubber sponges secured by rubber bands.

Common arthritis problem #3:Synthetic corticosteroids have made me fat.“Corticosteroids, especially in doses of 10 milligrams (mg) or more, directly stimulate the appetite center in the brain and cause outrageous hunger,” Dr. Dibner says. “You can gain 20 pounds without batting an eye.”

If you have rheumatoid arthritis, swollen and painful joints aren’t your only problems. You may encounter other symptoms and side effects, as well as family issues and difficulty dealing with everyday tasks. But symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis don’t have to derail your life. Read on for expert solutions to the top 8 RA complaints...

Rheumatoid arthritis remedy:Counting calories and exercise.

To avoid weight gain, anticipate this side effect and consciously watch your calories, staying under 1,500-2,000 per day.

“That’s the only thing that works,” says Dr. Dibner.

Her other suggestions:

Drink a glass of water before mealtimes to fill your stomach and cut down on the amount you eat.

Keep lots of low-calorie snacks on hand, such as carrots, celery and rice cakes.

Eat some low-fat protein at every meal, including meat, eggs, cheese or yogurt, to keep you from getting too hungry.

“But it’s important to stay active,” Dr. Dibner says. Swimming is an especially good exercise since it’s easy on joints, she adds.

If you have rheumatoid arthritis, swollen and painful joints aren’t your only problems. You may encounter other symptoms and side effects, as well as family issues and difficulty dealing with everyday tasks. But symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis don’t have to derail your life. Read on for expert solutions to the top 8 RA complaints...

The Arthritis Foundation offers water exercise programs at local pools and YMCAs, which raise the water temperature for the occasion.

Rheumatoid arthritis remedy: Find the right medications to control inflammation and other issues.

Both fatigue and anemia fade as RA becomes controlled through proper medication. In the meantime, says Dr. Dibner, plan your activities for when you have the most energy – usually late morning to early afternoon. Then take a nap.

If you have rheumatoid arthritis, swollen and painful joints aren’t your only problems. You may encounter other symptoms and side effects, as well as family issues and difficulty dealing with everyday tasks. But symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis don’t have to derail your life. Read on for expert solutions to the top 8 RA complaints...

Common arthritis problem #5:My eyes and mouth feel dry.“Dry eyes and mouth are common symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis due to a secondary condition, Sjögren’s syndrome,” says Dr. Wei. “It causes inflammation in the tear and saliva glands, resulting in dry eyes and mouth.”

Rheumatoid arthritis remedy: Lower your dose as soon as the disease is well-controlled.

“[Hair loss] isn’t common unless you’re taking large doses,” says Dr. Wei. “We try to get women on the lowest possible dose, which is generally 25 mg or less.”

As soon as you cut back or stop taking it, your hair should grow back.

If you have rheumatoid arthritis, swollen and painful joints aren’t your only problems. You may encounter other symptoms and side effects, as well as family issues and difficulty dealing with everyday tasks. But symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis don’t have to derail your life. Read on for expert solutions to the top 8 RA complaints...

Common arthritis problem #7:NSAIDs make my stomach hurt.
NSAIDs inhibit an enzyme that normally helps protect the stomach from acid. The result: stomachaches, and possibly even an ulcer.

Rheumatoid arthritis remedy: Cut down on NSAIDS or take a stomach protector.

“If someone gets stomach pain, we can take them off NSAIDs or prescribe a proton pump inhibitor like [the acid-reducing drug] omeprazole to reduce the damage,” says Dr. Wei.

Or instead of oral NSAIDs, you may be able to use topical NSAIDs like diclofenac gel, which are absorbed through the skin and may go directly to painful joints.

Common arthritis problem #8:My husband and kids don’t understand why I can’t do the things I used to.
RA affects everyone; friends and family can have trouble adjusting too.

“Most people don’t understand RA and how serious it can be,” says Dr. Wei. “So the education process is critical.”

Rheumatoid arthritis remedy: Bring the family to your doctor appointments, so they understand the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis and treatments.

It’s important for spouses to know that medication can help many patients achieve remission or near remission. Although it can take time to find the best medication for you, once you do, many of the difficulties will recede, Dr. Green says.

If you have rheumatoid arthritis, swollen and painful joints aren’t your only problems. You may encounter other symptoms and side effects, as well as family issues and difficulty dealing with everyday tasks. But symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis don’t have to derail your life. Read on for expert solutions to the top 8 RA complaints...

How Much Do You Know About the Types of Arthritis?About 46 million American adults – nearly one in five – suffer from some type of arthritis. It’s estimated that number will rise to 67 million by 2030. Do you or someone close to you have arthritis? Take this quiz to see how much you know about this disease.

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